Dynamics of The Creative Districts: A Case Study of The Naew Ubon Festival in Ubon Ratchathani's Old Town

Abstract

The Ubon Ratchathani Old Town was once a flourishing center of history, culture, and commerce. However, over time, the area experienced a socio-economic decline, prompting urban revitalization efforts led by government agencies. The "Naew Ubon" Festival was initiated as a key

strategic tool for urban renewal and is currently in its second consecutive year. Its primary objectives are to stimulate the local economy and promote tourism within the Old Town district. This study adopts a qualitative research methodology to examine Ubon Ratchathani’s cultural identities and the specific elements of a creative district manifested during the festival. The findings aim to analyze the potential trends for transforming the Ubon Ratchathani Old Town into a sustainable creative district.

The study revealed that the expression of cultural identity through creative industry shops and activities encompasses six identities: the Candle Festival, Ubon woven fabric or KabBua fabric,
Kuay Jap (vietnamese rice noodle soup), Khem Bat Nat (salted fish with pineapple), Mee Kati (coconut milk noodles), and cotton fabric. Furthermore, the components of a creative district are evident in the Ubon Old Town, revealing its potential to align with the characteristics of a creative district. However, the drive through the creative activities of Naew Ubon remains a temporary context, reflecting that some components often occur only intermittently during the activity period. This impacts and presents an obstacle to long-term and sustainable district development.